Bessie Dorrington Bangay (29 June 1889 – 25 March 1987) was an English church worker. At the time of her death, she was the last of the original cohort of Bishop's messengers in the Church of England, licensed during World War I.
Bangay was born in 1889 in Lyme Regis, Dorset, the daughter of Richard Bangay and Agnes Dorrington Bangay. She had a twin sister, Evelyn, known as Evie, and four older siblings.[1][2] Her parents were from Norfolk; her father was a doctor and a socialist, who gave popular science lectures and built an observatory on his property.[3]
Careeredit
Bangay and her twin sister moved to Chesham, Buckinghamshire in 1910, and Bessie started to teach Sunday school at St George's Church, Tyler's Hill, Ley Hill. In 1917, during a wartime shortage of male church leaders,[4] she was licensed by the Bishop of Oxford, as one of 22 women who began the Diocesan Order of Women's Messengers, female lay readers in the Church of England. She led St George's Church during the war, and afterwards. She took charge of the Sunday school when it resumed in 1919, and set up a ladies' cricket team, as well as groups for girls, young wives, mothers, and senior citizens. She was also in charge of the church's annual Nativity play.[1] She also began a branch congregation at a pub in nearby Lye Green in the 1930s, and continued to run the "pub church" until 1963.[4]
Bangay founded the Ley Hill Women's Institute, and was a member of the Chiltern Arts Society. She attended the National School for Religious Drama in 1955.[1]
Personal lifeedit
Bangay and her sister lived together most of their lives, and were enthusiastic gardeners. They raised prize-winning poultry and enjoyed bicycling.[2] Bessie Bangay died in 1987, aged 97 years, and was the long-serving and last remaining of the original Bishop's Messengers in England. Her grave is in St George's churchyard; Evie Bangay died within the year, and is buried with Bessie. There is a church window commemorating Bessie Bangay's long tenure of leadership.[2] The sisters left money to the church, used to establish meeting space known as "the Bangay Rooms".[1]
^ abcGraves, Kathryn (1 April 2019). "Evelyn Dorrington Bangay and Bessie Dorrington Bangay of Tyler's Hill". She Got The Vote. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
^Bangay, Paul. "Richard Bangay". The Landmark Trust. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
^ abWareham, Stephanie (28 September 2019). "Chesham's pioneer in women's ministry". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
Sheila Hart and Neil Rees, The Church by the Woods (Latimer & Ley Hill Parish Council), a church history booklet, based in part on Bessie Bangay's memoirs.
December 18, 2023
bessie, bangay, bessie, dorrington, bangay, june, 1889, march, 1987, english, church, worker, time, death, last, original, cohort, bishop, messengers, church, england, licensed, during, world, born29, june, 1889lyme, regis, dorset, englanddied25, march, 1987, . Bessie Dorrington Bangay 29 June 1889 25 March 1987 was an English church worker At the time of her death she was the last of the original cohort of Bishop s messengers in the Church of England licensed during World War I Bessie BangayBorn29 June 1889Lyme Regis Dorset EnglandDied25 March 1987 1987 03 25 aged 97 Chesham Buckinghamshire EnglandNationalityBritishOccupationChurch worker Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editBangay was born in 1889 in Lyme Regis Dorset the daughter of Richard Bangay and Agnes Dorrington Bangay She had a twin sister Evelyn known as Evie and four older siblings 1 2 Her parents were from Norfolk her father was a doctor and a socialist who gave popular science lectures and built an observatory on his property 3 Career editBangay and her twin sister moved to Chesham Buckinghamshire in 1910 and Bessie started to teach Sunday school at St George s Church Tyler s Hill Ley Hill In 1917 during a wartime shortage of male church leaders 4 she was licensed by the Bishop of Oxford as one of 22 women who began the Diocesan Order of Women s Messengers female lay readers in the Church of England She led St George s Church during the war and afterwards She took charge of the Sunday school when it resumed in 1919 and set up a ladies cricket team as well as groups for girls young wives mothers and senior citizens She was also in charge of the church s annual Nativity play 1 She also began a branch congregation at a pub in nearby Lye Green in the 1930s and continued to run the pub church until 1963 4 Bangay founded the Ley Hill Women s Institute and was a member of the Chiltern Arts Society She attended the National School for Religious Drama in 1955 1 Personal life editBangay and her sister lived together most of their lives and were enthusiastic gardeners They raised prize winning poultry and enjoyed bicycling 2 Bessie Bangay died in 1987 aged 97 years and was the long serving and last remaining of the original Bishop s Messengers in England Her grave is in St George s churchyard Evie Bangay died within the year and is buried with Bessie There is a church window commemorating Bessie Bangay s long tenure of leadership 2 The sisters left money to the church used to establish meeting space known as the Bangay Rooms 1 References edit a b c d Barker Jane Bessie Dorrington Bangay 1889 1987 Amersham Museum Retrieved 15 March 2020 a b c Graves Kathryn 1 April 2019 Evelyn Dorrington Bangay and Bessie Dorrington Bangay of Tyler s Hill She Got The Vote Retrieved 15 March 2020 Bangay Paul Richard Bangay The Landmark Trust Retrieved 15 March 2020 a b Wareham Stephanie 28 September 2019 Chesham s pioneer in women s ministry Bucks Free Press Retrieved 15 March 2020 External links editBessie Bangay at Find a Grave Sheila Hart and Neil Rees The Church by the Woods Latimer amp Ley Hill Parish Council a church history booklet based in part on Bessie Bangay s memoirs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bessie Bangay amp oldid 1177315325, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
